But to agree with the demonstrators' nationalism is wrong. The protest doesn't just have racist overtones, it's also anti-science and anti-business.

Here are nine reasons why every parent should enroll their kid in an immersive school:

1. It’ll make you smarter

Any quick Google search shows the benefits of being bilingual. Time magazine says it’ll make you “nimbler, quicker, better able to do deal with ambiguities [and] resolve conflicts.” The Atlantic says multilingual students score better on standardized tests, “are better at remembering lists or sequences” and are “more perceptive to their surroundings.” You’ll also improve multitasking skills and your memory, writes the New York Times.

2. It’ll literally make your brain bigger

Furthermore, a Swedish study written about in the Guardian shows that young military recruits who were adept at learning languages like Arabic and Russian saw parts of their brain grow. They saw growth “in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex related to language learning.

3. It’ll make you healthier

Multiple studies show that learning a second language will help the brain resist Alzheimer’s diseases and other types of dementia.

4. It won’t harm basic language skills

The various claims that learning a second language at a young age will cause confusion or delay overall language skills are exaggerated or simply not true. The New York Times wrote in 2012 that evidence shows that interference does occur in a bilingual’s brain. Both language systems are active at the same and can obstruct one another.

But this can prove beneficial: “It forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles. Bilinguals, for instance, seem to be more adept than monolinguals at solving certain kinds of mental puzzles”

5. In fact, it could make your English better

An Australian study says learning a foreign language forces you to think more about “the mechanics of language: grammar, conjugations and sentence structure.” As a result, bilingual writers understand better the way language can be manipulated and can improve communication skills.

6. You won’t embarrass yourself

Protesters outside the Houston ISD's Arabic Immersion Magnet School carry signs reading "Qatar out of my school" and "Everything I ever cared to know about Islam was taught to me by Muslims on 9-11-2001" on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015. |

Protesters outside the Houston ISD's Arabic Immersion Magnet School carry signs reading "Qatar out of my school" and "Everything I ever cared to know about Islam was taught to me by Muslims on 9-11-2001" on

Protesters outside the Houston ISD's Arabic Immersion Magnet School carry signs reading "Qatar out of my school" and "Everything I ever cared to know about Islam was taught to me by Muslims on 9-11-2001" on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015. |

Protesters outside the Houston ISD's Arabic Immersion Magnet School carry signs reading "Qatar out of my school" and "Everything I ever cared to know about Islam was taught to me by Muslims on 9-11-2001" on

9 reasons why every kid should be enrolled in a language immersion school

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The demonstrations Monday seem to be an example of willful ignorance. The protesters at the Arabic Immersion Magnet School seemed to misunderstand the core concept of what’s taught there. The protesters thought the school catered to Arabic-speaking families who don’t want to assimilate. In reality, the Principal Kate Adams said the student body is made up mainly of black, Hispanics and white students. School days feature classes taught either in English or Arabic as a way to immerse the foreign language learners.

7. Utah approves

More than half of U.S. states name English as their official language, including Utah. (Right-leaning Texas surprisingly does not, despite past legislative attempts). Conservative Utah champions immersive education. Learning another language obviously helps with the Mormon religion’s missionary trips. Stories have highlighted how popular immersion schools are in the state. Utah does not offer immersive Arabic yet – Houston’s magnet program is one of the first – but state leaders plan to introduce the language into the school system soon.

8. Immersive learning is effective

Formal classroom learning just doesn’t get the job done, one study shows. That’s because immersive learning changes the way one’s brain processes a language. Even after five months of not using a language, the study showed that immersive students “displayed the full patters of a native speaker.”

9. The CIA also approves

The CIA looks to hire multilingual speakers and the gig pays. The government agency specifically highlights needs in the areas of: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian and Russian. New CIA employees can receive a hiring foreign language hiring bonus of up to $35,000.

Of course, all types of business opportunities exist for anyone who speaks a second language, especially in a city like Houston where a quarter of the population is foreign-born. (Plus you can better connect with and appreciate foreign cultures). Arabic is the second most common foreign language spoken in the city behind Spanish.